Trainee Firefighter

Hay guys!
Wow the last few weeks have been tough. I started my fire-fighter training just over 2 weeks ago, I always knew it was going to be tough but I'm genuinely surprised at how tough it really is not only is it physically tough but mentally tough too. The first week was all classroom based lots of learning and taking notes followed by written exams. It's was really tough trying to study when I got home, I hadn't seen the little one all day and just wanted to have a cuddle and play. I'm not used to these working hours. I'm pleased to say I managed to pass, I thought the written exams were hard but the practical training is a hell of a lot worst. The trainers are tough really tough and seem to adapt an army style of teaching the last 10 days I've had trainers screaming in my face I don't no how I've managed to get through it. If I'm honest I've found it really tough and on a few occasions have felt like giving up. I'm 5ft 2 and am trying the best I can to keep up with the guys I'm training with I just hope I can get through the rest of my training.
On the up I had a day of first aid training which is always nice to know if anything bad does happen I can do the basics until help arrives, you really can make a massive difference in that situation if you know CPR. There's quite a few really good apps to download for CPR and there all free just type in CPR or first aid.

I'm pleased a few of you are trying the manuka honey! I wish I could take it myself but I really don't like the taste of honey.

How quick is Christmas coming around (ahhhhhhhh!) I've been getting a few pressies the last few months to try and take the burden of my purse in December! I'm also trying to buy the tins of sweets and biscuits when I say trying I mean I buy them and then they seem to scream for me to open them in the evening so I am giving up and buying them as near as I can!
We got a fantastic toy the other day that I've allowed Rocky to have before Christmas it's called Dino Construction and basically it's part Dino part construction vehicle the perfect toy for little boys! It's great when you find a toy they really love and he genuinely hasn't put it down he loves diggers and dinosaurs so this was always going to be a hit definitely a must for the boys at christmas! You can order it it from http://www.learningresources.co.uk/



Great Fun recipe this week we made Marshmallows dipped in chocolate. easy to prepare and great fun to be had dipping the marshmallows in melted chocolate then rolling them in sprinkles! I am not sure what rocky enjoyed most licking the leftover melted chocolate or making them? all you need is a bag of marshmallows, pack of cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks (in the baking ingredients isle) and some cake sprinkles! quick easy and fun!




Hows everyone's little ones getting on at school? Rockys reading is coming along fantastic just need to work on his numbers now, its seems very common for children to get muddled up with number recognition. his counting is great but getting him to recognise the numbers are a little trickier especially 6 and 9  he seems to always get muddled up with these 2,who can blame him who ever invented numbers made it hard for them! so I've got a number recognition game that covers numbers 0-9 great little game we have been playing around the dinner table nice and easy to play and does not cost too many pennies at just £8.95, you take a number from the box and whoever has the highest number gets everyone's numbers. within a week we have got numbers 6 and 9 sorted. grab this from http://www.learningresources.co.uk/

Our Favourite read this week has to be Stick Man by Julia Donaldson.
Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three. But it's dangerous being a Stick Man. A dog wants to play with him, a swan builds her nest with him. He even ends up on a fire!

I've also had my nephew Harry staying with me over half term and as his 13,he didn't want to read stick man, so we have been reading Tinder by Sally Gardner. we both read it together and I even found myself  reading it when he had gone to sleep. what a fantastic book and excellent illustrations i think I have just become a Sally Gardner fan! you can get both these books from http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/ great website for finding great reads for the kids

speak soon
x

Free school meals? And a spoonful of honey

Free School meals for all children up to year two? So what's everyone's thoughts on this? I feel like they have just stopped high earners claiming family allowance with one hand and are giving them free school meals with the other, I personally think only those on low income should be entitled to free meals and lets not forgot it only seems to be free for people who don't contribute any tax.

Rockys on his third week of school his still crying in the mornings :( breaks my heart would love to have him home with me at least when I pick him up from school I can spy on him in his classroom and his having lots of fun,  I'm really missing him. While worrying about him at school this week i started to think about his teacher she seems really nice and motherly but that's just my opinion......maybe shes not nice, my minds wondering, before I know it I'm typing in her name and looking her up on Facebook. OH NO what am I doing! well at least now I know she likes gardening and cheese and still looks nice and respectable in her photos ( not a party animal, beer festival lover in anyway.)I love the weekends even more now, although we have done nothing the last 2! Rockys just enjoyed being at home playing with his Jake and the Neverland  toys and we've both slobbed out on the sofa eating chocolate watching Disney movies (love it)

Manuka Honey

I'm telling everyone about this and wanted to mention it in my blog this week, at the start of April Rocky got hayfeaver after a few weeks I went to the doctors and they gave me a prescription to give to him everyday through the pollen season. But I didn't like the thought of him having medicine everyday I don't believe in herbal remedies but just wanted to have a flick through the net to see if there was anything else I could try first, that's when I discovered manuka honey. apparently by taking locally produced honey you can help your body desensitise against the different types of pollen that cause hayfever, whether it was a coincidence or not but shortly after giving rocky a teaspoon a day his hayfever stopped. this has now been a morning ritual a spoonful of honey after his breakfast. its not only supposed to be good for hayfever but also the digestive health, immunity, skin aliments and the obvious energy. we have all had terrible coughs and colds the last ten days in the house and the other half has most certainly had the dreaded man flu! however Rocky hasn't had the slightest sniffles! so thought I would pass on my only herbal remedy!

I mentioned on my last blog how I wanted to help rocky that extra bit with his learning. he is the youngest in his year and I hate the thought of him struggling and therefore not enjoying his learning. I searched the net for the best learning products for his age and came across the Jolly Phonics Hot Dots products, these interactive cards/books helps children learn a wide range of skills. children select an answer against the multiple choice questions with a talking pen that shows a green or red light and audio sounds for immediate feedback. There's a wide range of subjects shapes,numbers,letters and many more for all different age groups, we have gone for the Lets Learn Phonics beginners set which consists of three books that start from age 5 up to age 9 the books consist of letter sounds, first words and vowel sounds.

Rocky loves it and we've flown through the first book and making our way through the second, its hard trying to teach rocky the sounds through just reading but playing with this has made a huge difference in such a short time( I say playing as that's what it feels like) its fun, its magic and were on the road to reading wish I found this in the summer holidays! you can get this set and a range of all the hot dots products on http://www.learningresources.co.uk ive also been given a free delivery code to pass on just type in blogger13 into the promo code for free delivery expires 31st December 2013! There's some great products on the websites. one of my favourites is the pretend and play post office set will definitely be getting that for Christmas!

To finish of this week my book of the week is.....

Were going on a bear hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

A classic and beautifully illustrated book cant believe we have only just discovered it. it follows the exciting journey of a family as they go searching for a bear.

The repetition of 'we're going on a bear hunt, we're going to catch a big one, what a beautiful day, were not scared enables rocky to read along and get totally involved in the story his favourite part is the last page when we read it under the duvet!

Speak soon!

My baby started school.......

I've got his school uniform laid out in front of me (16 items to be precise) to the side of me I have the 'sew in name labels' and the basic sewing kit I have just bought, the rest was easy now to sew. Is it acceptable to You Tube how to sew on a name label? I've never needed to sew anything before. any way the lovely lady on you tube talked me through it step by step and walla at the end of it I have a sewn on the name label by item 16 I'm not bad and feeling quite earth motherly, first wash and there all be hanging of  by a single fread. ill keep you posted!

I cant believe my baby is starting school in 2 days I really cant, his a late July born and one of the youngest in the whole year, I cant help but think if I had him another six weeks later I would have him at home with me for another year, it doesn't seem fair? he has only just turned 4. I'm worrying myself silly this week I am so scared of him being not ready and learning at a different pace I hate the thought of him maybe not enjoying learning as he might not pick it up as quick. Any body have any good learning products that they can recommend? I want to just do that little bit extra with him at home to help him along.

Wednesday has come along so quick the morning is here where I'm going to drop him of at school, I woke up with a lump in my throat, It is going to be nice to get some housework done but the thought of having to send him to school Monday to Friday for the next 18 years is slightly sad. I'm insisting to Rocky he starts the day with a nice healthy breakfast on school mornings I'm banning cheerios to the weekend and its porridge or granola for the week. so today we have porridge with crushed strawberries in the middle luckily Rocky loved it. and had it for the rest of the week.

He looked so cute and grown up in his uniform I cant help but love the grey socks, who would of thought grey socks would be so cute! I've kept myself together all morning Rocky has gone into school with his new teacher and class amazingly easily me on the other hand I couldn't keep the tears away any longer nor could I talk or even manage to say mornings to the other mums as I was moments away from bursting into tears! all the other mums were fine. they probably had more housework to do then me! luckily only 3 days of school went by quite quickly and Rocky had a nice time was a bit of a shock to him and had tired him out.

When I picked him up on  Friday I exchanged some Tesco clubcard point for some Prezzo vouchers so we went out for a cheeky pizza and came home and watched Disney Tarzan even Tarzan made me emotional must be that time of month! fab film haven't watched it for a long time, enjoyed snuggling on the sofa with our popcorn. Cant beat a movie night at home!

I managed to get the house in order over the last few days and Im hoping to get back to exercising next week. I found out over the six weeks holiday I past my fire brigade exam YAY! and start my training in October :) perfect timing with rocky starting school. Had  a relaxing weekend with the family and finished today of with a lovely chicken roast, the lovely old lady next door gave us a bag of apples she picked from her tree so made a scrummy easy apple and blackberry pie cheated with the shop bought pastry! Thought id share the recipe as so easy and nice!

300g cooking apples

225g blackberries

knob of butter

squeeze of lemon juice

caster sugar to taste

pre heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4

Cook the apples with a small amount of water,lemon juice and sugar for 5 minutes take them of the hob and mix in the blackberries.

pre heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4

spoon the apples and blackberries into a shallow pie dish,

roll out the ready made pastry large enough to cover the pie, glaze the top of the pie with a little milk then bake for 45mins! lovely jubbly went down a treat with the boys!

As always I love reading with Rocky so thought I would share my favourite each week with you. 

This week our favourite is 

Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really Big Adventure.

Fab story for little boys, story of a brave bold curious knight setting of for a big adventure in the deep dark forest where monstrous trees groan, terrible beasties moan and wigglie woos tickle your toes!. The illustrations are full of colour and beautiful detail. Considering how many times I have read this I think its a testament to author Kristina Stephenson that I am not thoroughly fed up with Sir Charlie Stinky Socks.

Would love to hear any one else's recommendations for books please, always nice to find a great read!

Also been reading a chapter of BFG by Roald Dahl to little legs each night. I got the complete 16 book collection by Roald Dahl from The Book People for £15.99 rrp £88.85 absolute bargain. I loved being read these in my childhood and love them even more as an adult!

www.thebookpeople.co.uk